Timothy Walz

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Colonel Merle Peterson, US Army (Ret) and Captain Donald Peterson, US Navy (Ret) for their extraordinary dedication to duty and service to our Nation. These gentlemen served long honorable careers in the United States Military. Upon retirement, both continued to dedicate their lives to ensuring our nation's premier Service Academies attendees included the most talented nominees from the First Congressional District of Minnesota. Colonel Peterson joined the US Army as an enlisted Soldier in 1948 and served in the Korean War. When he returned home in 1951, Colonel Peterson joined the Army Reserves, serving with the 419th and 407th Civil Affairs Companies from 1956 until 1969. Colonel Peterson attended Winona State University becoming a schoolteacher. Between St. Charles High School and Rochester Kellogg Middle School, Colonel Peterson taught for 31-years. In 1971, the United States Military Academy selected Colonel Peterson as Academy Liaison Officer for Minnesota's First Congressional District. For over 41 years, Colonel Peterson worked with five Members of Congress of the First Congressional District; assisting over 100 candidates to attend West Point. Captain Peterson joined the US Naval Air Reserve in 1953 as an enlisted servicemember. He served in that capacity until 1956 when drafted and inducted into the US Army where he spent the next four years. In 1959, Captain Peterson rejoined the Naval Air Reserve and had over 39 years of total military service until his retirement in 1992. Captain Peterson attended the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology where he attained a degree in mechanical engineering. He purchased his own business, Mississippi Welder Supply Company currently located in three states with ten different branches. In 1984, the United States Naval Academy selected Captain Peterson to be a Blue & Gold Officer. He has represented the Naval Academy in Southeastern Minnesota for 29 years. Captain Peterson interviewed countless candidates over the years helping many highly qualified Midshipmen enter the Naval Academy. Mr. Speaker, I seek to recognize the dedication and selfless service both Colonel and Captain Peterson provided the United States Military, the United States Service Academies, the First Congressional District of Minnesota, and our nation. For combined 70 years, Colonel and Captain Peterson assessed our best and brightest candidates, enabling these young recruits to continue the proud tradition of attending United States Service Academies. Both Colonel and Captain Peterson are patriotic Americans who deserve this nation's thanks and gratitude.

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. ``No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years and been nine years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.''

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, as more and more of our brave warriors return from Afghanistan, more and more of them are looking for work. It's our duty as a Nation to make sure that we're doing everything possible to get these troops reemployed. That's why I'd like to applaud both the Senate and the House for including in the National Defense Authorization Act the Helping Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Return to Employment, the HIRE Act. What it does is establish a very commonsense process that encourages State credentialing authorities to consider certain military occupational training when granting licenses. It makes absolutely no sense to force a battlefield medic to spend time and Federal dollars taking redundant training to be an EMT. It makes no sense for a State agency that wouldn't count hundreds of hours driving heavy equipment in Afghanistan to get a CDL license. The Department of Defense spends $140 billion a year training our military personnel, the best in the world. It would be ludicrous to not use that investment to get them jobs here at home. Eight States have already passed legislation to develop the process. I encourage Members of Congress, talk to their State and their Governor to get this done.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. I thank the gentlelady. Mr. Speaker, my discharge petition at the desk is really an approach that the American people spoke loudly in. Every single one of us just came through an election, and the message was abundantly clear to me: Why do you continue to bicker? Why do you continue to stand on the floor and make these ridiculous Kabuki-dance statements with one another when it shouldn't be that difficult? We came out of a Constitutional Convention, and when they asked James Madison what the secret to this new government was: compromise, compromise, compromise. Mr. Speaker, to sit here and do what we're doing--not bringing this forward and releasing the tension on the middle class, making sure the economy knows there's stability amongst taxes--is holding our economy back. And to be very honest, it's insulting to the American people. This is a Nation that won two world wars. This is a Nation that split the atom. This is a Nation that put a man on the Moon. This is a Nation sending pictures back from Mars from Curiosity. Sign the discharge petition, bring it to the floor, get 435 votes, put it online for 24 hours, send it to the President, and by 3 o'clock tomorrow, the big chunk of the fiscal cliff is done. Don't insult the people with things that aren't true. Don't tell them that it's not about compromise, and don't sit here and pretend like we're working when we're not. They know better. They're smarter. They deserve better. Bring the discharge petition to the floor, allow Members to vote for it, give the American people what they want--stability and a Congress that works--and let's move on to other pressing issues.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Major John Shipe, of the United States Army for his extraordinary dedication to duty and service to our Nation. Major Shipe will be moving on from his present assignment as a Congressional Liaison for the Army to Office of the Secretary of Defense to work on Reserve Affairs. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Major Shipe graduated from Jacksonville University and earned his Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. He later earned a Master's in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University. His awards and decorations include: Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), the Parachutist Badge, and the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Gold). Following his graduation from Jacksonville University in May 2001, Major Shipe was commissioned in the Army Reserve as a Military Police Officer. His first assignment was with 351st Military Police Company in Ocala, FL where he served as a Platoon Leader and Company Commander. He left his job as an Account manager for the General Electric Company to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from May 2003 to June 2004. During his time in the combat zone, he was responsible for training Iraqi Security Forces and providing security to convoys throughout Southern Iraq. After returning from his tour in Iraq, John choose to go onto active duty as an Army Reserve Officer and move to Lubbock, Texas where he served in the 413th Civil Affairs Battalion from 2006 to 2008. In 2008, John moved to Columbus, Ohio to take command of the 342nd Military Police Company. As its commander, Major Shipe deployed to Iraq for a second time in 2008. This time John served in Tikrit and was partnered with the Iraqi Security Forces for more twelve months. Upon completion of his second combat tour, John was selected for the prestigious Army Congressional Fellowship Program. During his fellowship he was chosen to serve on my staff where he utilized his extensive military experience to provide expert advice on military and veterans' issues. In May 2011, he arrived in the House Army Liaison Division where he assumed his role as a Legislative Liaison and continued to honorably serve as a conduit between the Army and Congress. Mr. Speaker, it has been a pleasure to work closely with Major Shipe over the last few years of his decorated career. On behalf of a grateful Nation, I join my colleagues today in recognizing and commending Major Shipe for dedicating his life in service to his country. For all he and his family, have given and continue to give to our country; we are in their debt. We wish him, his wife Kelli, and their three children Jacob, John and Kinsley all the best as they continue their journey to his next assignment in the United States Army.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, today, let's show the American people the politics of the possible. Let's focus on what we agree on, not what we disagree on. Let's find common ground. We can accomplish this by extending the middle class tax cuts immediately. Let's have the people's House break this ridiculous stalemate. Let families across the Nation go into the holiday season with certainty. Everyone here agrees taxes should not go up on middle class families. Democrats and Republicans can come together to make that happen. By extending the tax cuts, every American will get a tax break on the first $250,000 of income. Let me repeat that 100 percent of Americans will receive a tax break on $250,000 of income. It also extends the child tax credit, makes it easier for small businesses to invest, makes it affordable to go to college, and fixes the alternative minimum tax. If we fail to act in the next 10 days, middle class families could see their income taxes go up by $2,000. No one wants it, and the economy doesn't need it. The Senate has already passed a bill; the President said he would sign it today. It can be done now. Please stand up, sign the discharge petition, and make a difference for the American public.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I, too, echo the sentiments of my friend from New England. Those of us on the Great Plains out in Minnesota ask to pass a farm bill also. The American people spoke last week and they were very clear. I didn't run into a single voter--and I don't know if you did, Madam Speaker--who said: What I want you guys to do is mess around some more, not do anything, and kick the can down the road; that's what we really enjoy. What they said was: Compromise, get something done, give us stability, and move forward. As my colleague said, 6 months ago the Senate passed a bipartisan farm bill. They couldn't agree today was Friday in the Senate, and they passed a farm bill. We passed it out of the Ag Committee, 35-11. We have now sat and waited for 4 months to have a chance to vote ``yes'' for stability in rural America, ``yes'' for rural communities, ``yes'' for stable food prices, ``yes'' for support for drought-stricken farmers, or to sit here and do more of the gridlock, more of the do nothing. When they spoke last week, they were very clear. They were not saying we're all for Democrats, we're all for Republicans. They said we're all for this country doing its business and moving forward. I encourage our colleagues, get a farm bill on the floor, pass it, move on.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Last week, the American people spoke; and I, for one, heard them loud and clear: quit arguing and get your dang work done. My suggestion is that we've got a piece that we can do today--pass the farm bill for America. America's farm economy has been one of the bright spots over the last 5 years, and our farmers and our consumers deserve some certainty. The House has already passed the farm bill through the Ag Committee with a two-thirds vote. The Senate passed a farm bill with a two-thirds majority. They couldn't agree it's Wednesday over there, yet they passed a farm bill. This bill adds certainty to rural America. It creates jobs on Main Street. It provides stable prices in the grocery stores, and it makes sure that in drought- stricken areas of our country farmers are there to produce. This is a jobs bill. It's a bipartisan bill. It's a compromise. Every major farm and nutrition group has asked for it to be done. All we need to do is to bring it to the floor and to push one of the two buttons-- ``yes'' for jobs in rural America and food for this country or ``no'' for more gridlock. I think we want the green button.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I ask the House to join me today in honoring the 100th anniversary of Boy Scout Troop 21 in Rochester, Minnesota. Troop 21 is one of the oldest and hardest working Boy Scout troops in Minnesota. Over the years, thousands of young men have passed through their program, learning valuable leadership and life skills while also enjoying outdoor activities and performing service projects. Over 160 of Troop 21's scouts have reached Eagle Scout--the highest achievement level possible in Boy Scouts. The Boy Scouts of America reached its centennial in 1910 with a renewed call for greater community service. In 2010, Troop 21 answered this call and performed 494 hours of community service ranging from trash collection, food drives, and projects to improve local churches and parks. With the people of Minnesota, I ask this Chamber to join in celebrating Boy Scout Troop 21's 100-year anniversary.

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Russell-Tyler-Ruthton (RTR) Elementary School in Ruthton, Minnesota. On September 7th, RTR Elementary School was named one of two schools from the First District of Minnesota to be designated as a 2012 National Blue Ribbon School. This award recognizes exemplary schools like RTR Elementary School where students have consistently scored the top of assessment results. Recipients of this award truly exemplify the State of Minnesota's belief that every child has promise and must receive a high quality education. As a teacher on leave from Mankato West, I know that achieving success for all students takes a commitment from the entire school, from the principal to the counselors to the teachers. When students see every adult in their school dedicated to their success and achieving a higher goal, they are motivated to do their best. This is exactly what RTR Elementary has done for its students. Under the leadership of Principal Amy Christensen, they have focused on building relationships with every student, and executing the RTR Literacy Plan to ensure success in the English Language Arts. Their efforts have led to exceptional results. This award recognizes what the RTR Elementary School community already knows--RTR Elementary is a place where every student, no matter their ability or background, can fulfill their potential. RTR Elementary is an outstanding model of achievement for schools across Minnesota and the country. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring RTR Elementary School for its dedication to the students of Ruthton.

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of TEAM Academy in Waseca, Minnesota. On September 7th, TEAM Academy was named one of two schools from the First District of Minnesota to be designated as a 2012 National Blue Ribbon School. This award recognizes exemplary schools like TEAM Academy where students have made significant progress. Schools that receive this award truly exemplify the belief that every child has promise and must receive a high quality education. As a teacher on leave from Mankato West, I know that achieving success for all students takes a commitment from the entire school, from the principal to the counselors to the teachers. Their dedication every day toward success and achieving a higher goal motivates students to do their best. This is exactly what TEAM Academy has done for its students. Under the leadership of Director Jill Ladwig, the school practices individualized learning in small groups, and focuses on reading, mathematics and exposure to art, Spanish, physical education and music. Every day, students walk into an environment where they are encouraged to reach their full potential, become a productive member of society, and understand the importance of post-secondary education. This award recognizes what the Waseca community already knows--TEAM Academy is a place where every student, no matter their background or ability, can fulfill their potential. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring TEAM Academy for its dedication to the students of Waseca.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, as we reflect as a Nation on that tragic day 11 years ago, our thoughts and prayers go out to the families who lost loved ones. Out of the horror of the murders of thousands of innocent souls rose the selfless heroic spirit of America. Thousands of first responders rushed into danger to help their fellow citizens, total strangers. Thousands of warriors have paid the ultimate price to defend us. The sense of national unity that spontaneously arose was something none of us will ever forget. We, the living, must pledge not just in words but in deeds to never forget. We in this body, as representatives of the American people, must work to see our colleagues first and foremost as Americans and as members of a political party a distant second. To truly honor the principles that this Nation stands for, we must see this other side of the aisle for what it truly is: a 3-foot space that's not so hard to reach across. Let's honor the memories of those who gave so much on and after that fateful day by working together to truly create a more perfect Union.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. I would like to thank the ranking member of Veterans' Affairs. I have had no greater friend since his time here, and we are grateful for the work he has done. To Mr. Bilirakis and the entire committee for what has been said by several of my colleagues, it's fitting and appropriate today that we are passing legislation to serve those who have served us. It also is fitting and appropriate that we conduct ourselves in a manner fitting of their service. This committee is one, as Mr. Michaud said and so many others have said. We are proud of the work we do together. This is just another example. I would like to comment just briefly on section 2 of this that my good friend and friend of veterans from Ohio (Mr. Stivers) has been an absolute, outspoken, untiring advocate of to make sure that we employ these veterans when they come home. Last month, President Obama signed in another bill of ours, the Veteran Skills to Jobs Act, that is now the law of the land, making it easier to credential our veterans when they come back. This Nation spends $140 billion training our veterans. These are our best and brightest and most dedicated. When they come back home, they're not victims, but we certainly know there are barriers to employment that we should not be putting up in front of them. If they've driven that truck and served this Nation in Afghanistan, why should we have to repay to get a CDL license? If they've saved their colleagues on the battlefield and passed the credentialing to be a medic, why can't they ride in an ambulance at the Mayo Clinic in my district? And this bill takes it to the next level and sets that credentialing in coordination between the Federal and State to make sure when our veterans return home that we're not putting barriers in front of them, and to be quite honest, that we're not spending precious resources, whether it's giving them unemployment insurance or retraining them through redundant trainings. In my office, my veterans staffer was the SHAPE commander's Black Hawk pilot in Europe. And he was the top trainer in the military. If he came back out, civilian-wise, he would have to go to a 48-month course to able to get through some of these things. That makes no sense, and it's putting our veterans at a disadvantage. So I want to thank Mr. Stivers for making this possible. The transition can be there. I also want to thank our States that have been so willing to work with us. There are eight States that have already implemented this proposal. It will make it easier. It's the right thing to do for our veterans. It will give employers great dependable employees, and it will make sure these veterans do what we know is best for their mental health, for their family, and for this country--get back to work and start doing the things that they want to do. With that, I thank everyone involved for this great bill. I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 4057.

Mr. WALZ

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate Ali Bernard for being named to the U.S. Olympic Team, and having the opportunity to compete in London this summer. This is an unbelievable accomplishment, and a testament to American dedication and talent. Ali has been an incredible competitor in wrestling since high school. From the Junior Nationals to the Pan American Games to the World Championships, it has all led up to becoming a two-time Olympian. Ali's achievement is an inspiration and a source of pride for the New Ulm community, and I am proud to represent such an outstanding individual. I look forward to watching Ali represent our country in London. I wish her and all the members of Team USA the best of luck in the 2012 Olympic Games.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a very simple message from rural America: we need a farm bill, and we need it now. With the current farm bill set to expire at the end of September, it is crucial that we continue to provide certainty to one of the few bright spots in our economy over the past decade. It is all the more crucial to our farmers that we do this as they are staring at cracked, dried- out soil resulting from one of the worst droughts in modern history. The newspaper Politico looked back 50 years--longer than I've been alive--and found that never before has a farm bill been this close to being passed and been blocked by House leadership. This is absolutely unacceptable. Southern Minnesotans can't afford to deal with the uncertainty that follows out-of-date policy extensions or lame duck sessions. Lame, for sure. Don't kick the can down the road. The Senate has passed a bill. The 2012 farm bill passed out of committee on July 12 with a bipartisan vote of 35-11, saving $36 billion for the taxpayers. My farmers in southern Minnesota are up before dawn working until after dark. We are leaving at noon today. We have 17 days between now and November 6 to work here in Washington. That is so unacceptable. No one will agree to that. Pass the farm bill. Pass it now.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. I rise today to honor southern Minnesota's own Hormel Foods for its 75 years of producing its world-renowned, iconic product--SPAM. Entrepreneur George Hormel opened up his meat processing plant in 1891 in Austin, Minnesota, but it was his son Jay who came up with the idea of canned spice ham. Thus, in 1937, SPAM was born. SPAM served an essential role in World War II. Over 100 million pounds of SPAM were sent to the European front to aid the war efforts. After the war, SPAM's popularity soared globally. Over 7 billion cans have been sold. Since the inception of SPAM, Hormel has always kept its company's roots in southern Minnesota, providing thousands of good-paying jobs and economic stability for middle class folks in Austin. Hormel also has a rich history of giving back. They've partnered with organizations to provide food for malnourished children around the world. In partnership with the University of Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic, they opened the world-renowned Hormel Institute, which gave us Omega-3 and - 6 fatty acids in cancer reduction. SPAM is an important part of our history. It played an essential role in feeding our troops, in creating jobs, and it has become an iconic American product. So, today, I honor Hormel's past, and I look forward to their future. Happy 75th birthday, SPAM.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. I would like to thank the chairman and the ranking member for the great work they're doing on this. I'd also like to thank them for their commitment, not just to the defense of this Nation, but to the care of those warriors who so dearly pay for that defense. What this amendment does is it increases the appropriation in the Sensory Injury Defense Research programmatic request from $5 million to $10 million for core vision and eye research. This important research will be paid for by redirecting funds from Operations and Management Budget. You've heard it on the last several speakers talking about traumatic brain injury, the issues that come from that. One of the core indicators and one of the first indicators of traumatic brain injury or mild traumatic brain injury is eye injury. The brave warriors that sustain these, whether they're puncture injuries or whether they're from concussive blast injuries, start to manifest themselves in loss of vision and eye injuries. Of all of the TBIs that happen in the war zone, 70 percent suffer some type of vision loss. The research to deal with this has long-term benefits. It is, as I said, one of the first indicators of brain injury. We could start to get early treatment on that, and all the research seems to show that cognitive ability is affected positively the sooner we get on top of that. There is $600 million and I know tough decisions are made in this bill towards research and battlefield injuries; 15 percent of all those injuries are eye injuries. The $10 million number that we're requesting gives us basic adequate numbers, a floor number, if you will, to start getting that research done. So I am very appreciative of the tough decisions that get made in this. I would encourage my colleagues to support this amendment to beef up the eye injury research, and I would argue it's morally the right thing to do. We've been trying to work on this with a combination of VA and DOD to get that going. I yield back the remainder of my time.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. I thank the gentleman from Virginia for his support of this bill and other veterans issues. First of all, I'd like to thank the gentleman from California. Mr. Denham's service in uniform to this Nation is to be commended, and his service to our veterans has been unwavering. He's right, we've worked on this a long time. I had the opportunity on numerous occasions to travel downrange to visit our veterans, the last one with my good friend from California (Mr. Denham), and the care and concern that he showed listening to his veterans of what they need, listening to them talk about this. One of the things on the minds of our veterans, as they're fighting downrange defending our freedoms and doing what's asked of them is how are they going to be able to take care of their family when their service obligation ends. So Mr. Denham came back, and working and reaching across the aisle, and working over in the Senate, crafted a piece of legislation that's not only morally the right thing to do, taking care of our veterans-- you hear a lot about the 99 percent and the 1 percent. There's truth in that: 99 percent of us enjoy the benefits of security and national defense while 1 percent provide it. So the moral obligation of providing this is pretty much unquestioned, but the thing that I think Mr. Denham looked into on this is making sure the economic impact was felt also. And on this, I think this is very important to keep in mind: We spend $140 billion a year training our military. That's an investment into those folks. When they finish their career, whether it be a stint of 4 years or whether it's a 20- or 30-year career, they come out with incredible skill training, with incredible professionalism, and they are a very mature workforce. Why would we not want to get our best and brightest back working in the economy? These are entrepreneurs. These are the folks that can get things done. This piece of legislation was crafted in such a way to do exactly that. Implementation of concurrent credentialing has no undue burden on the military nor on its readiness. In fact, opportunities for credentialing will be a selling point for our military. You can come out and move directly into a job as an aviation mechanic or whatever it may be. I'd like to mention just quickly here, in my State of Minnesota, an average Active Duty servicemember with an aviation mechanic or avionics occupation will have attended over 18 months of training and had a minimum of 4 years of practical experience. A certified aviation maintenance technician school costs $20,000 a year. So we've invested. We have a trained mechanic, but we're going to have them come back, have them be unemployed, have them try and use their GI Bill--which is Federal dollars--to get the very same credentialing that they had when they left at a time when we need to put them into the job. So in Minnesota, Thief River Falls is the only place you can get this. We're asking folks to line up and get positions that they don't have enough spots for. It makes no sense. So I'd like to thank the gentleman for a commonsense piece of legislation, for a piece of legislation that addresses both our moral and economic need. And I'd also like to say, Mr. Speaker, as the Members in this House see, we can work together to solve problems. We can understand--and on this issue--the sacrifice that our servicemembers made so that we could have the honor and the privilege of self-government and stand here and debate the country's business. We owe it to them to conduct ourselves in a manner that's reflective of their sacrifice and service. And I would like to congratulate the gentleman from California for bringing that type of comradery, that type of can-do spirit, and that type of willingness to compromise to get things done for the good of the soldiers. With that, I urge my colleagues, support this legislation. Let's get it passed.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. The American public deserves better. They deserve more from their Congress. The sacrifices that so many millions of Americans have given, whether it's in military service or service to this Nation, to allow us to stand here and self-govern ourselves needs to be repaid with maybe the words of Daniel Webster above us up there: Let's do something great in our time. The differences this Nation has is what makes us strong--differences of opinion. But compromise and common purpose is the glue that hold us together. If there's anything that we can agree upon, it's that this Nation should have a world-class transportation system to move people and goods in an efficient, effective manner. And we're sitting here not passing a transportation bill. We have never had this problem in this Congress. The last five transportation bills have passed with an average of 375 bipartisan votes. We have a bill that passed the Senate 100 days ago that passed with a 74 22 vote. I'm not sure they can agree it's Tuesday in the Senate, and they compromised on a transportation bill. I urge my colleagues here, either get the compromise done this week or bring the Senate bill forward and let us vote up or down to put America back to work and do something great in our time.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I have a previous noticed motion at the desk.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to thank the gentleman from Tennessee for being here. I know his commitment to building infrastructure in this Nation is unquestioned. He's been a good friend and a gentleman on the committee. I think what we're here for today, Mr. Speaker, is the American people deserve better from us. We have a need in this country that is obvious to everyone. The infrastructure in this country is crumbling: 70,000 deficient bridges; nearly half our highways in disrepair. And being a Member from Minnesota, that hot August day almost 5 years ago when the I 35W bridge fell into the Mississippi River is a stark testament of what we can do. The Transportation Committee, by command of the Constitution, if you will, has always been there to build the post roads. This Nation has built canals, locks, dams, and ports. We've built railroads that connected the continent and spurred the industrial revolution. We've built an interstate highway system that made the American economy the envy of the world. We have possessed vision, we've possessed willpower, and we've done it in a manner that incorporated bipartisan support and, at the end of the day, compromise. The last bill that passed, SAFETEA-LU, passed by a vote in this House in 2005 of 412 8; in the Senate, 91 4. The previous bill, 2007, 297 86, and 88 5 in the Senate. In 1991, 372 47; the Senate, 79 8. In 1987, over the last 25 years, 350 73. We have the will. We simply need to exercise the political willpower to move this piece of legislation. So this motion to instruct is very simple. A hundred days ago, the Senate passed their version. It received a vote of 74 22. It is a bipartisan bill. Now, I will be the first to tell you the prerogative of the House to lead is sacred to us here. We need to have a say in this. We need to make sure that the people's House has their voice in things. The problem we have is we've been sitting in conference committee for 45 days with a deadlock and no end in sight. So this motion to instruct, yes, it's a nonbinding sense of the House, but I would argue it's far more than that. This is a sense of the American public. They sent us here to do some basic work. They did not send us here to agree with each other on everything, but they did have that understanding that the glue that binds the Nation together is compromise. And there are a very few things that historically have been bipartisan. The transportation bill has been one of those. So what this MTI asks is: rectify the differences and compromise to the point that we can get something on the floor and finish the work by June 22, this Friday. Then give us the opportunity to exercise the American will by having their Representatives discuss what needs to be there. If we can't come to a compromise, bring us the Senate bill and let's have the up-or-down vote. If it passes, we can move forward. If it doesn't, then we start and go on from there. But I have to tell you, we can't afford to kick this can down the road--and I would say the proverbial ``crumbling road.'' The Chamber of Commerce has made the case: Failure to keep up with infrastructure needs in the U.S. cost this economy $2 trillion between 2008 and 2009. Every year we do nothing, we spend over $100 billion on idling tax. We waste 1.9 billion gallons of fuel yearly. That's 5 percent of our fuel needs. That's money going to foreign countries who hate us. They'll hate us for free. We can be more efficient. We cannot waste Americans' hard-earned dollars staring at the bumper in front of them. We can do it safely, and we can move our products to market faster; and we have that power. I said it this morning. I'll continue to say it. Up above the Speaker's chair up there is the quote from Daniel Webster. How about we do something worthy to be remembered for. How about we come together and pass a bill that the people say, They did the peoples' work. They compromised. It's not about getting what each of us wants. It's about getting what the American public needs. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).